It is often necessary to connect malleable conduits or tubing to other conduits or tubing, or to fixtures, for example. This may require that one of the free ends of the tubing be expanded, so that an appropriate coupling or seal can be made. To that end, tube expanding tools have been developed that are used to deform the malleable metal tube end. Conventionally, such tools include a cone-shaped member that is introduced into the free end of the tube to be expanded, while using a die placed around the outer portion of the tube end. Penetration of the cone-shaped member into the tube results in the expanding of the tube.
Existing tube expanding tools require manual force, such as through a leveraged screw-type tool, an impact-type tool requiring the use of a hammer, or a manual pump hydraulic hand tool. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus that forms an expanded end on malleable metal tubing that does not require significant manual force for operation, and that is easy to manufacture and use.
It also would be desirable to provide a tool that may hold one or more various other functional elements to carry out a variety of utilitarian functions.